Audrey Gordon

Canadian politician

Audrey Gordon
Manitoba Minister of Health
In office
January 18, 2022 – October 17, 2023
PremierHeather Stefanson
Preceded byPortfolio renamed
Succeeded byUzoma Asagwara
Manitoba Minister of Health and Seniors Care
In office
August 18, 2021 – January 18, 2022
PremierBrian Pallister
Kelvin Goertzen
Heather Stefanson
Preceded byHeather Stefanson
Succeeded byPortfolio renamed
Minister of Mental Health, Wellness and Recovery
In office
January 5, 2021 – January 18, 2022
PremierBrian Pallister
Kelvin Goertzen
Heather Stefanson
Preceded byPortfolio established
Succeeded bySarah Guillemard
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba for Southdale
In office
September 10, 2019 – September 5, 2023
Preceded byAndrew Smith
Succeeded byRenée Cable
Personal details
Political partyProgressive Conservative Party of Manitoba
Residence(s)Winnipeg, Manitoba
EducationUniversity of Manitoba (BA, MBA)

Audrey Gordon is a Canadian politician who was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 2019 to 2023, representing the electoral district of Southdale as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba.[1] Alongside Jamie Moses and Uzoma Asagwara, she was one of the first three Black Canadian MLAs elected in the 2019 Manitoba general election.[1]

Early life and career

Born in Jamaica as the seventh of eight children, Gordon's family moved to Winnipeg when she was five.[2] Gordon attended the University of Manitoba and where she completed both a BA and MBA.[2]

Prior to entering politics, Gordon was the Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority and a provincial civil servant for 25 years.[3]

Political career

At the 2016 general election, Gordon stood in the central Winnipeg constituency of Fort Rouge. She came in second place to Wab Kinew, who later became leader of the Manitoba NDP, narrowing the NDP majority in the district; Manitoba Liberal Party leader Rana Bokhari, who did not have a seat at the time of the election, ran third in this riding.

At the 2019 general election, Gordon was elected in the southeastern Winnipeg constituency of Southdale.[4]

In August 2020, Gordon was victim of a racist attack when a bench with her image on it was defaced with graffiti.[5][6][7]

In May 2021, Springs Church, of which Gordon is a member, held an in-person graduation event. This was in defiance of restrictions meant to curb the spread of COVID-19. Gordon eventually commented on the event in a Facebook post, adding: "I have read several posts stating that I was present at the Springs graduation ceremony. To my knowledge, no evidence has been provided to substantiate this claim."[8] Her Facebook page was later deactivated.

In November 2021, Gordon was criticized for offering "thoughts and prayers" to Manitobans who had their surgeries cancelled and placed on a waitlist of over 130,000 postponed procedures.[9] As of December 7, the delayed procedure backlog has surpassed 152,000[10] and on December 8 health officials announced that they would look at cancelling additional surgical procedures as ICU beds are required for new COVID-19 patients that are being admitted to hospitals.[11]

Gordon received further criticism from the opposition and in the media after a third of the nurses in the sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) program resigned in March 2023.[12] When confronted by the opposition, Gordon shifted the blame to "health system leaders" in the bureaucracy despite this being under her portfolio, bringing on more outcry over her leadership.[13]

At the 2023 general election, Gordon lost re-election to Renée Cable in her riding of Southdale.[14]

Personal life

Gordon is married with two sons.[3]

Electoral record

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2023 Manitoba general election: Southdale
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
New Democratic Renée Cable 5,569 48.48 +10.64 $44,447.54
Progressive Conservative Audrey Gordon 3,922 34.14 -8.26 $50,821.24
Liberal Robert Falcon Ouellette 1,861 16.20 +2.73 $17,836.49
Independent Amarjit Singh 135 1.18 – $5,835.09
Total valid votes/Expense limit 11,487 99.65 – $69,403.00
Total rejected and declined ballots 40 0.35 –
Turnout 11,527 64.72 +3.06
Eligible voters 17,810
New Democratic gain from Progressive Conservative Swing +9.45
Source(s)
Source: Elections Manitoba[15][16][17]
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2019 Manitoba general election: Southdale
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Progressive Conservative Audrey Gordon 4,493 42.40 -9.2 $24,558.56
New Democratic Karen Myshkowsky 4,010 37.84 +6.9 $14,122.65
Liberal Spencer Duncanson 1,427 13.47 -3.3 $137.10
Green Katherine Quinton 595 5.62 +4.8 $0.00
Manitoba Forward Robert Cairns 71 0.67 New $0.00
Total valid votes 10,596 99.33
Total rejected ballots 72 0.67
Turnout 10,668 61.66
Eligible voters 17,301
Progressive Conservative hold Swing -8.1
Source: STATEMENT OF OFFICIAL RESULTS BY VOTING AREA (PDF) (Report). Elections Manitoba. 2019.
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2016 Manitoba general election: Fort Rouge
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
New Democratic Wab Kinew 3,360 37.63 -13.63 $39,199.49
Progressive Conservative Audrey Gordon 2,571 28.80 8.64 $42,245.54
Liberal Rana Bokhari 1,792 20.07 -3.06 $30,238.82
Green Grant Sharp 983 11.01 5.57 $322.90
Manitoba Matthew Ostrove 175 1.96 – $945.26
Communist Paula Ducharme 47 0.53 – $33.67
Total valid votes / expense limit 8,928 – – $44,855.00
Rejected 125 –
Eligible voters / Turnout 13,896 65.15 3.92
New Democratic hold Swing –11.04
Source(s)
Source: Manitoba. Chief Electoral Officer (2016). Statement of Votes for the 41st Provincial General Election, April 19, 2016 (PDF) (Report). Winnipeg: Elections Manitoba.
"Election Returns: 41st General Election". Elections Manitoba. 2016. Retrieved September 10, 2018.

References

  1. ^ a b Bryce Hoye, "Meet the rookies: Manitobans elect 13 first-time MLAs". CBC News Manitoba, September 11, 2019.
  2. ^ a b Woldtsadique, Feleseta Kassaye (November 13, 2023). "Audrey Gordon: The Political Rise of Manitoba's First Black Cabinet Minister". byblacks.com. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  3. ^ a b "BIOGRAPHIES OF NEW MINISTERS" (PDF). Government of Manitoba. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  4. ^ "Manitoba Electoral Riding: Southdale". Global News. Retrieved October 28, 2020.
  5. ^ Hoye, Bryce (August 10, 2020). "Manitoba MLA 'saddened' but undeterred by racist graffiti on bus bench with her image". CBC News - Manitoba. Archived from the original on August 11, 2020.
  6. ^ McKendrick, Devon (August 10, 2020). "Winnipeg MLA has bus bench defaced with racist graffiti". Winnipeg. Retrieved October 28, 2020.
  7. ^ Racial slur found on bus bench of Winnipeg MLA, retrieved October 28, 2020
  8. ^ "Winnipeg's Springs Church faces backlash for maskless graduation photos, pastor says they followed rules". CBC News. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  9. ^ "Manitoba health minister offers 'thoughts and prayers' to those affected by postponed surgeries". CBC News. Archived from the original on November 16, 2021. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
  10. ^ "Surgical, diagnostic backlog surpasses 152,000 cases in Manitoba, doctors' group says". CBC News. Archived from the original on December 7, 2021. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
  11. ^ "Health officials look at cancelling more surgeries as Manitoba ICUs face continued strain". CBC News. Archived from the original on December 8, 2021. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
  12. ^ "NDP calls for Manitoba health minister to resign after more nurses quit program for sex assault victims". CBC Manitoba. March 22, 2023.
  13. ^ "Health minister wrong to pass the buck". Winnipeg Free Press. March 24, 2023.
  14. ^ Petz, Sarah (October 3, 2023). "Health Minister Audrey Gordon among Winnipeg PC cabinet ministers losing seats to NDP". CBC News. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  15. ^ "Summary of Votes Received" (PDF). Elections Manitoba. Retrieved May 4, 2024.
  16. ^ "CANDIDATE ELECTION RETURNS GENERAL ELECTION 2023". Elections Manitoba. Retrieved August 21, 2024.
  17. ^ "2023 GENERAL ELECTION CANDIDATE AND REGISTERED PARTY ELECTION EXPENSE LIMITS - FINAL EXPENSE LIMIT" (PDF). Elections Manitoba. Retrieved May 4, 2024.
  • Audrey Gordon on Twitter